Unspeakable
by Niamh Cyneburg
Summary: Hermione isn't just a bookworm. Harry isn't just a scarhead. Ron isn't just a red headed troublemaker. Malfoy isn't just a dirty death-eater spawn. Wait, Malfoy? What happens when Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger are partnered up in an Unspeakable mission that could get one or both of them killed. Do Harry and Ron help? Or just hope that Malfoy is the one who ends up dead?
1. Chapter 1

Something about these two won't leave me alone. I promise I will try to update my other stories as soon as I possibly can. Until then, let me know what you think of these two.

It's set 6 years after the final battle of Hogwarts. Hermione and the trio returned to do their 7th year, although it was a highly abbreviated version. Fred did not die. Ever. Anywhere. Just assume this to be true in any fic I've written unless explicitly stated otherwise. AU, and obviously follows the EWE school of thought.

My fics aren't going to contain a lot of Ron bashing or emo characters. They have been through hell and every single one of them will be shown to be dealing with it in their own way. This is in no way reflective of how I assume everyone deals with grief. This is simply how I picture my versions of these characters to deal with them.

Please do review and let me know what you think

* * *

**UNSPEAKABLE**

Unspeakable.

She thought the day would never come.  
She must have been the first of her kind in years to have the kind of scores she did.  
The thought was empowering.  
It wasn't that muggle-borns never made it into the ranks of the most secretive and most respected members of the magical corps. It was simply because it was usually much harder for them to learn to sustain the kind of magic that others were used to from birth.

Regardless of blood status, the course was not something the faint hearted could ever attempt to deal with. In 5 years they managed to combine the 3 years Aurors spent training in Magical Law Enforcement, and the 4 years it took Healers to pass their Mediwitch/wizard exams.  
The powers that be had decided there was no point in sending their most elite into the field if they were going to be hindered by injuries like broken ribs or a badly cast spell. They all needed to be fully capable of caring for themselves without needing medical attention except in the most dire of cases. On a much darker note, some of them felt that having a working knowledge of the body enabled one to hit hardest at the weakest point.

The very fact that this was considered, spoke volumes of the brutality the magical world had borne witness to, during the short brutal war that saw the final downfall of Lord Voldemort. The Unspeakables were always considered 'cool' by the Aurors, or most of the wizarding public.  
Even when they struggled to suppress a slight shiver at the aura of power these individuals gave off.  
Some of them even kept their identities hidden. From friends, from family, from everyone. All for the sake of safety. They went through life pretending to be a ministry drone in some small, dusty, office, out of sight and usually forgotten, all the while using their tremendous skill to make sure their world would never have to suffer the likes of Voldemort again.

Hermione smiled to herself.  
Thanks to that brilliant bit of spell work she and her course partner had come up with, they would never need to do that again. They called it the 'Non Vides' because by the time they had done with it, they were far too exhausted to even contemplate thinking of a fancier name. They had modified a simple glamour charm to accept a Notice-Me-Not charm.  
The spell allowed for the individual to immediately take on very basic features.  
Since it was a glamour, they were never impeded by their adopted forms' physicality. They moved and felt, exactly like themselves. Their hair usually took on a shade of indetermined darkness, witnesses would never be able to clearly recall if it was black or brown. It was the same with their eyes. And their distinguishing facial features took on a smooth kind of appearance.  
They turned into absolutely unremarkable looking people.  
Nothing to make them stand out. Nothing that would make them noticed. And absolutely Nothing that anyone could remember them by.

The advantages this gave them over polyjuice were so numerous that Hermione and her partner had both been given commendations by the Minister, secretly of course, because of the lives it would undoubtedly save. The spell would hold until the caster, and ONLY the caster removed it, of their own free will. The spell itself was imbued with old magic to counter the influence of someone being Imperiod to remove it.  
It held through even if the wearer was knocked unconscious, or lost concentration. Her partner had been adamant that they add that to the spell. He knew how something like the Cruciatus could affect someone's ability to focus. He had been a double agent during the war, and had gleaned this kind of knowledge first hand. It was mind-boggling that the two of them had finally begun to tolerate one another long enough to work together.

She stood from her chair where their graduating batch of 8 had just received their credentials, privately, from the Minister of Magic; and cracked her neck. "Keep doing that Granger and one day you're going to actually break your fool neck," drawled a lazy voice from behind her.  
"Speak of the devil," she muttered.  
He offered her nothing but a quizzical look in return. "So, now what?" he asked, when it didn't look likely that she was going to say anything.  
"Now nothing," she replied, "we go home and enjoy a relaxing week off, and report for whatever it is, bright and early, next Monday morning."

He looked pensive.  
"A whole week off? Just like that? Doesn't that strike you as being vaguely suspicious? After the way they cracked the whip these past few years?"  
She had to agree with his suspicions, since identical ones had kept her awake for close to the whole night before they graduated.  
"They couldn't lie to us. I spiked the tea with Veritaserum," she admitted. "They really do mean to let us have an entire week to ourselves."

Ignoring the gleeful expression of the tall blond beside her, she started to walk towards the entrance of the room.  
"You spiked their tea? Goody-Goody Granger has joined the dark side," he cackled. "My years of winning you over to my cause has finally paid off. You are now a... wait a minute," he interrupted himself. "How did you know you wouldn't get us too?" he asked, eyes full of curiosity.  
Rolling her eyes, she retorted, "Because you and I are the only ones here who drink nothing but coffee you idiot."  
"Ahh" he deadpanned, realising he should have thought of that before.  
They were trained to notice these things.  
Insignificant things. Small miniscule things that didn't matter to anyone else.

"Anyway, Granger, what are you up to now?" he asked, sidling up to the girl making her way to the Atrium. "You know, I haven't the foggiest. It's the first time in years we haven't had something or the other to get done, or submitted, or due, or..."  
"Yes, I get it, I get it," he interrupted. A slow grin dawned on his face. "Fancy a turn at the training room then?"  
She stopped abruptly and turned to face him.  
"Now? Why?" she asked, eyes narrowing in suspicion.

"Think about it Granger. No holds barred. No instructors to keep an eye on us. We can finally figure out who wins."  
Her answering smile didn't bode well for the tall intimidating man before her.  
"Let's go then Malfoy."

* * *

_**(In the training room)**_

Harry and Ron, Aurors for 2 years now, were heading back from their weekly department meeting, when they heard two junior trainees rushing past them in the opposite direction. "Oi, Johnson," Ron called as the brown haired boy ran past. "Where's the fire mate?"  
"Unspeakable duel in the training room," the boy shouted as he skidded around the corner. Harry and Ron paused, looked at each other, and then took off like the hounds of hell were at their feet.

Unspeakable duels were things of legend around the Ministry.  
They very rarely used the Ministry training room, but when they did, very few were ever privileged to watch one. They were usually accompanied by no less than 4 trainers, all retired Unspeakables themselves, and apart from the 2 duelling, the others sat around and either watched or glared at the Aurors or other interlopers. The draw was in the fact that when they duelled, they weren't limited to just magic.

The boys didn't know this, but this was another brilliant idea from the morass that was the brain of Hermione Granger.  
Back when they had been partnered up in training, she and Malfoy had struggled through insulting each other for a month straight, until they realised they needed to grow up and let childish grudges go.  
Draco had already made amends for his taunting Hermione's blood, and he had even been willing to take Veritaserum to prove to her that he had never truly hated her for her blood. He had a part to play, and he played it well.  
Hermione on the other hand, couldn't have cared less about his stance on her blood status. They hated each other for much more basic reasons. Draco couldn't stand the fact that she couldn't be arsed to find a hairbrush, or even bother with her personal style, and Hermione hated him for the snobby, bullying bastard he could be.

Time had healed wounds much deeper than theirs, and it took them almost their full first year to realise the reasons they had been paired for training.  
They were equally matched in the brains department, their wand work was almost equal, Draco beat Hermione by a hairsbreadth in Potions, and it was the reverse in Charms.  
Transfiguration found them pretty fairly matched, but when it came down to something like a duel, there was no one who could match the pair. They were formidable opponents, and despite the fact that all in their training batch duelled against the others, they refused outright to duel either Draco or Hermione.  
They were far too good, and far too scary.  
On one of their marathon study sessions, Hermione had idly asked Draco how come she had caught him off guard when she had punched him in their third year. "You didn't use magic," he replied, without thinking. "You didn't raise your wand so I didn't think..." and he trailed off in awe. Looking into her wide eyes, he knew she was on the same wavelength as he was.

The result was that the Unspeakables now didn't just duel with magic. They were the only department sent off ministry property, to Muggle Martial arts schools, to be taught. This was why Unspeakable duels were such spectator sport.  
They used a combination of Muggle Martial Arts, combined with some serious offensive magic. Something the Aurors were now beginning to imitate, but on a much smaller scale.  
As Harry and Ron turned into the large airy room that Aurors used for training and demonstrations, they noticed a pair facing off in the middle of the floor. They wore matching clothing.  
Black trackpants, and sleeveless black t-shirts.  
Nothing flattering about the clothing, except it seemed to clearly define the physiques of two individuals who had obviously been training for years. Nobody knew either of them, but knowing the Unspeakables, they were probably testing some new sort of magical disguise.

Harry settled onto the bleachers and began to watch the two in front of them.  
The male was tall, he could make out that much. At least 6 feet. Broad in the shoulders, but not bulky. There was no wasted movement at all. Everything he did seemed to lead seamlessly into the next move. He had dark hair that was short, and lay carelessly over his forehead, seeming to get in his wary, watchful eyes.

The petite female faced him, wearing a small smile to counter his expressionless visage. She had waistlength dark hair, bound back into a single braid, and seemed to mirror every move the man across from her made.  
Where he was calculated and cool, she moved with all the grace of a lithe jungle cat.  
They hadn't started yet, just facing each other across the floor and studying the other's movement. Only then did Harry notice the holsters with wands strapped to their left fore-arms.  
He was about to point this out to Ron, when the red head excitedly informed him that there were no trainers present.  
No teachers. No supervision.  
Which meant that these two were graduated Unspeakables, about to duel.

A hush grew over the crowd when the two at the center of attention stopped studying each other and turned to face the crowd. The man scowled, which made Harry think that he was probably young, but when he speedily rectified his expression back to one of nonchalance, it made him think that maybe he wasn't all that young. The girl ignored all of this, and turned to face the now silent watchers.  
"We're going to duel. Practice only. There will be non-verbal magic used. If you stay you might get hurt. What you choose to do is not our problem."

With that she turned abruptly to face her opponent, who smirked at her in a way Harry thought was strangely familiar. Just then a cheeky Muggleborn Auror trainee waved his wand to allow a famous soundtrack from a recent action movie to play.  
The girl laughed, while the boy rolled his eyes, and then they began.  
He strode forward, reaching her in 3 quick steps and reaching for her neck, when she spun and dropped to the floor, kicking his legs out from under him. He immediately righted himself, not landing on his back for more than a second. And it went from there, spinning, cursing, kicking, pivot, a spell, a punch, a hex, followed by a wrist throw.

They fought for what seemed like hours, but in reality couldn't have been more than 15 minutes later, when the fight ended by him holding his wand to her throat, and grinning in victory, only to realise, by her sly grin, that she in turn had her wand pointed directly under his sternum, right at his heart.  
Conceding that it was a draw, they both withdrew, and bowed to each other. Only then did the absolute silent crowd break out of their shocked awe and begin to applaud. The partners grinned at each other and then took a facetious bow before walking out the door, her cracking her neck as they did so.

"Where have I seen that before?" wondered Harry to himself as he left the room with Ron.  
"We're going to be late for dinner with Mione if we don't hurry mate," Ron told him.  
"Yeah," said Harry absently, "Let's go" before leading the way to the Leaky Cauldron, where they had their fortnightly dinner with their best friend, and heard all about her job at the Ministry library.

* * *

Well ?  
Hated it? Loved it?

Anything?


	2. Chapter 2

Hi,  
I'm so glad that you guys seemed to like where this is going. I promise to try and update as soon as I possibly can, but I warn you now that this seems like a slightly shorter story than my others. It will have a ton of humor in it, albeit the dry and sarcastic kinds. Draco doesn't strike me as the slapstick sort. Also, don't expect the three boys to constantly bring up their school past, nor will they automatically be the best of friends. They will do what needs to be done as adults, as far as they can.

As always, please review!

* * *

_**About 6 months later - Minister of Magic's Private Office**_

"One of our top pair asked for you to be included. We usually prefer to work with no Auror restrictions in place. We are trusted to get the job done, you see, no excuses, no strings attached, using any means necessary."

"I understand Minister," Harry muttered to the other man in the room, "we're here on someone else's request."

"No Potter," came a snide voice from the darkness, "you are here under sufferance. My sufferance. I'd sooner dance around wearing nothing but a Toga, singing Lady Gaga than willingly have you and Weasel here on a mission with me."  
Slowly walking out of the shadows, towards the bemused pair seated at one end of the room, he sighed, "But my partner trusts you, and I trust her with my life."

Both the Aurors jumped out of their seats and made to draw their wands when they realised the blond facing them was one half of the team they were going to be working with. And he had instantaneously drawn his wand while turning sideways to give them less of a target to hit.

"Malfoy?" they cried incredulously. "Oh, well spotted," retorted that worthy as they sputtered in disbelief.

Turning to the minister, he retorted, "These inept idiots are two of the most hare-brained fools to graduate from the Academy, in years. But they're Gryffindor enough to let it get personal. We need that on this mission. Staying detached won't work. He'll smell us coming a mile off.

The Head of the Unspeakable department allowed a small grimace to cross his face before turning to Kingsley Shacklebolt, and saying, "Minister, you ARE sure about this? I know I'm sending my best into the field, as are you," Draco snorted at this, and his Department Head ignored the snarky boy and continued to address the minister.  
"But you know who this is. You know how dangerous it is, and you know the risks..."

Showing temerity that can only come from being the obvious first choice for this mission, Draco interrupted again. "The risks are going to be tremendous no matter what. Whoever you send is going to be in danger. But if they aren't invested in this, it will. Not. Work."

"We're not dealing with a fool here Draco," Medier, his chief said quietly.

"I know this," hissed the younger man. "Of everyone in this room, I know this best. And I want a chance to take him down. I am invested in this. You know that, and you know why. Don't tell me I am not entitled to want to kill him myself."

By this point Ron and Harry were beyond confused and heading straight for 'I have no effing idea what is going on.'

"Could someone maybe take a few minutes to explain to the two of us why we are about to risk life and limb to work with Draco bloody Malfoy?" said Harry, as sarcastically as he could manage. "Please" he added as a reluctant afterthought when Kingsley eyed him.

"Long story short," Draco started, before either of the others had a chance. "There's a Voldy supporter who escaped Azkaban, and disappeared into the Muggle world," he ignored the different reactions to his butchered version of the Dark Lord's name.  
"Who would think to look for him there? He's been biding his time. Baiting a few muggles, killing a few others, and so far, managed to stay one step ahead of us. But he overplayed his hand about a year ago. Started using his real first name. We've been building our evidence. We have all we need and its time to get him picked up. Once and for all"

The ugly glint in his eye told Harry that this suspect would never live long enough to see trial. This was a personal vendetta. He wasn't comfortable with that. As if sensing Harry's hesitation, Draco turned to face him full on and spoke softly.  
"He tried to kill my mother. And he very nearly succeeded. He didn't even have the courtesy of using an Avada. He used a spell that would have taken hours to kill her, while keeping her conscious through the pain that would make you welcome death. Tell me I shouldn't kill him"

Both Aurors were silent. They both knew that without Narcissa Malfoy, the previous battle would have ended very very differently. And threatening family was not a guarantee of survival. Bellatrix would vouch for that.

Finally Ron asked the question burning in both their minds, "Who is this guy anyway?"

Draco's eyes flashed, "Orion Lestrange. My cousin"

Deciding to move on from that obviously uncomfortable topic, Ron decided to ask, "So where is this partner of yours that apparently trusts us so much?"

"Right here" said a feminine voice from just beyond the door.  
Harry started to roll his eyes at the theatricality of the whole scene when he stopped dead at the sight of the girl before him.

"Mione?" Ron mumbled in amazement.

She nodded at both of them, before looking to Draco, and then back at them, only to announce.

"Before either of you ask, yes, I'm an Unspeakable. Draco is my partner."

That's when all hell broke loose.

* * *

I could not help this kind of ending. Can you just imagine what their reactions are going to be at the Ministry librarian actually being an Unspeakable?

Bwahahahahahaaa

Reviews make me write faster!

N


	3. Chapter 3

Hi there,  
I wanted to wait a few more days before posting this one, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it.  
So all I ask in return is to review. Just remember, more reviews, the faster I write.

Enjoy!

* * *

Sweat beaded on Harry's forehead. He could feel it start to trickle down his eyebrow and fought the instinct to close his eyes. It stung. But not as much as the betrayal of his best friend.

"No Harry, I didn't betray you, and Ron, consorting with the enemy isn't something you can accuse me of every single time I associate with somebody apart from the two of you." Hermione said calmly.

It was an amusing scene if nothing else.

Kingsley Shacklebolt, the minister of Magic, and Unspeakable Medier, both wearing expressions that were a slight mixture of shock and amusement, sat in the same chairs they had been in before Hermione's abrupt announcement. The rest of the room however, had changed somewhat.

* * *

**_A little while previously_**

_All hell broke loose._

The chairs the Aurors had been sitting on had been pushed back at their hasty rising, and had crashed into each other and fallen over. The noise had attracted people outside the office, and they couldn't get in thanks to the fact that the interlocked chairs had landed in the door way, a very effective doorstop. The banging from outside intensified at the racket being made inside.

Ron fired a stunner at Draco, which he deflected with a twitch of his wand. Harry had thrown up a shield charm between Hermione and Draco, which Hermione had dissolved with a wave of her hand accompanied by an eye roll.  
While Harry had been distracted by the effortless display of wandless magic by one of his best friends, Ron had immediately countered by throwing the nearest object at Malfoy. Since that happened to be a vase, the flowers and liquid contents had promptly emptied themselves on his head as he raised his arm to throw it, and he had ended up launching it at Kingsley instead.  
Medier had finally interfered by flicking it away from the minister. He might have more confidence in his Unspeakables than these two idiots, but he still couldn't allow the minister to be harmed by their shenanigans.

When he flicked it away it had hit Harry, who then hit Ron with the Jelly Legs jinx he had been aiming at Malfoy. Having had enough, Kingsley raised his wand to stun the lot of them when he heard a sharp female voice raise above the din and yell "Stupefy!"

Harry, Ron and Draco all froze instantaneously, before she shook her head and waved her hand at Draco. "Again with the wandless magic. You don't have to show off Granger," mocked that worthy as he unstuck from lobbing a cushion at Ron's motionless head. Hermione didn't reply, just held out her hand and the cushion flew into it. "Behave," she intoned.

**_Present time_**

"No Harry, I didn't betray you, and Ron, consorting with the enemy isn't something you can accuse me of every single time I associate with somebody apart from the two of you." Hermione said calmly.

"Yes Ron, I'm reading your mind. Legilimency and Occlumency are mandatory to pass the Unspeakable course. And yes Harry, the two of you are going to stay this way, until I am convinced you are going to act like adults and listen to what we have to say."  
She blinked a moment and then addressed Ron, "Yes, Draco has to behave as well, or I'm stunning all 3 of you all over again." As Draco rolled his eyes, she waved her wand again and Harry and Ron unfroze.

Harry shook his head a little to gain his balance and then glared at Hermione, alongside Ron's petulant expression. She countered by simply smiling at them disarmingly. "If this is how the two of them act around you, no wonder you put off telling them you were an Unspeakable Granger," Draco said.

"Please Potter, she's better than most of the grade at wandless magic, and she is still the 'brightest witch of the age' you know," he said mockingly, "I'm sure she's better suited to this job than either of you are as Aurors."

Smothering a smile, Hermione winked at Draco in thanks.  
She knew why he had said those things. Despite it being the truth, he had effectively quashed any possible arguments from either of them. If their so-called enemy could praise her so much, their loyalty demanded they say nothing to the contrary.  
Sensing some of Ron's thoughts, Hermione turned to him and in a sybillant whisper, said, "I dare you to suggest to your mother that a woman can't duel as well as a man, Ronald."

He gulped.

Satisfied that their childishness had come to a halt, Kingsley had nodded at Medier to continue the briefing. And just like that, Draco automatically shifted into what Hermione called his 'work mode.' He stilled and his face took on an unreadable expression, no doubt due to the sensitive nature of his connection to this case.

Medier began.

"This subject is someone we have been tracking since he was born. He never showed overt inclinations towards one side or the other, despite his heritage. And he made sure to keep his preferences under wraps. We never picked up on Muggle baiting, or anything to show with any specificity that he was a threat to us. He was educated at Durmstrang, and lived with guardians, in his parent's safehouse in the holidays.  
We know for a fact he never left the continent until he was 18 years old. The safehouse, of course, was unplottable, but we have reason to believe it was somewhere north of Moscow. There was another in Sofia, but that was only to facilitate his easy transfer to and from Durmstrang.  
He recently came back to England and has set himself up in a townhouse in London. He uses a false name now, but hasn't been able to relinquish his own. He uses it as a stage name of sorts."

Harry and Ron both looked curious at this statement, but to their credit, neither one interrupted. "He passes himself off as a Muggle now, and since there is nothing against doing that, we have been unable to bring him in. The problem is that Muggles tend to die around him. Some mysteriously, some not so much. But the end result is a lot of worry about relations between Muggles and Wizards. Most halfbloods are already nervous about his presence. They have friends and family in both the muggle and wizard world, so they've been picking up the signs and reporting them in when they recognize it."

"What signs, Sir?" Harry asked. He was in full Auror mode now.

Hermione decided it was time to step in. "Every single one of the muggles killed, have or used to have, family members in the wizarding community. Every one of those witches or wizards were either part of the Ministry that revolted against Voldemort, or were active members of the DA or Order. Basically, he's targeting the families of people instrumental in the Dark Lord's defeat."

Ron and Harry looked at each other and then, as one, nodded. Harry spoke up, "Where do we come in?"

"I was hoping you'd say that," spoke up Malfoy. "Don't look so surprised Potter.

We want to go in undercover. He can sense magic being performed, but when you don't use it directly in front of him, it lingers like a slight residue. This can be due to the fact that you've been around magic, or magic users for extended period of time. Or it can also mean that you have slight magic in your blood. Meaning you've probably got magical relations. This is what we're hoping he'll pick up on.  
We need to blend into the scene he hangs out in, allow ourselves to draw him in. At no point, ever, do we go looking for him. We wait, we give off all the signs of his usual pick, and then we let him walk right into the trap we set for him."

The two aurors listened carefully and then asked. "What scene exactly are we talking about?"

Hermione stifled a laugh and then admitted, "Harry, you're probably going to laugh your arse off at this, but he races. Muggle cars. The London underground racing circuit." As Harry's face paled, Ron's took on an expression of glee. "You want us to race?"

Hermione rolled her eyes and then nodded. Draco looked curious, and finally asked, "Do I want to know why Weasel looks ready to wet his pants at the thought of racing a muggle vehicle?"

Hermione interrupted that conversation before it even began.  
"We start that research as soon as we leave this meeting."

Harry spoke then, "Malfoy, you said this was your cousin. What do we do once we find him?"

"We find proof of his killings Potter," came Malfoy's all too simple answer.

"And then?" Harry asked when he didn't elaborate further.

Looking once at his chief and the minister, and seeing no objection, Draco gave Harry an almost feral snarl.  
"Then, Potter, we kill him"

* * *

As always, hope you liked it, and please do review!

Why do you think Ron is so excited?  
And what does Hermione mean by research?


	4. Chapter 4

Hi guys, I noticed that there aren't that many reviews coming in, so I just wanted to say, that the more you review, the more motivated I am to write more of their story. So please review!

* * *

After Draco's earlier pronouncement, Hermione saw fit to excuse all 4 of them and told their chief that they could be found down in the Unspeakable department's briefing room. Then, not bothering to make sure they were following her, she muttered, "Room 4" at Draco and then turned on her heel. Seconds later, she smiled to herself at the sound of footsteps following her downstairs.

Twisting and turning through the appropriate corridors, Hermione snapped on the lights in Room 4, and then took a seat at the head of the table.

Harry and Ron walked in after her, and immediately took seats opposite each other, but facing her, so it seemed like they were going for a pincer attack. Hermione just smiled grimly, still silent, as Draco walked in behind them and took the seat opposite Hermione, forcing Ron and Harry to give up a little bit of glaring power, just so that they could keep him in their line of vision as well.

Finally breaking the silence, Hermione spoke softly, "I think I should explain." Draco was forced to give the Aurors credit when all they did was Ron snort, and Harry snark, "Maybe."  
He could picture her rolling her eyes before she began. He had expected her to launch into a long tale of why she had become an Unspeakable, and their journey as partners. Which is why he was surprised when she gave Harry a long look and then dove straight into the case.

He knew she didn't use Legilimency, because he would have felt it. That tiny hint of tingle in the air when they used magic.  
After working with someone for so long, they had become accustomed to the signature of each other's magic.  
So it was surprising that she decided to ignore their current behaviour and delve straight into the reasons they were here. Although if he was honest with himself, he knew that things like friendship didn't need Legilimency to communicate. Hermione would explain to her friends when she could, but she would do it in private. She owed them that much after dropping such a bombshell on them.

"Harry, before we even get started you need to know something."  
Glancing at Draco she seemed to fortify herself before speaking to the now wary Auror. "You realize this is Bellatrix's son we're talking about. He was born about a year before me, so he's roughly 25 or 26 years old, we're thinking 26."  
Harry nodded, still not completely sure why she'd thought this would upset him. 

"He has had his parent's influence indirectly his entire childhood, and teenage years, even when they were in prison, because they had multiple portraits of them in the safehouse near Moscow. His guardians truly did love him, but when they died, he's been absolutely alone. Oh Morgana, I'm rambling." she muttered the last bit to herself.  
Ron and Harry both tried to surreptitiously check if Draco knew what she was getting at, but he sat there, stone-faced, giving nothing away of the fact that he was now convinced that his partner was barmy. 

Hermione stood, and then walked to the fake window that seemed to overlook a London street. The windows in the Unspeakable department were charmed to always reflect the outside as truly as if the window looked over the street.

She took a deep breath and then spoke again, "Harry, if Sirius had never been to Azkaban, or if you had seen him when he was much younger, you'd be amazed at the resemblance." At Harry's sudden hiss of breath, Hermione knew that he had finally realized what she was getting at.

"Is that why you looked like you had seen a ghost when we first saw his picture," came Draco's voice. She nodded and then faced Harry again.  
"The difference is, Sirius was never this dark Harry. Never this vicious. There's something about his very aura that puts you on edge."

Green eyes narrowed at her. "You've met him?"

She nodded, "I was our in. We had to lay some ground work before we could get close. That was about a month ago. It's taken us this long to convince the powers that be that you two were our only logical choice. Draco and I went undercover. Bumped into him at a club, appropriately disguised. He invited us along on one of the races they had planned. We said we'd think of it some other time." 

The entire time Hermione had been talking, neither Harry nor Ron had missed the way Draco's entire body had slowly filled with tension, ending with his hands clenched into fists on the arms of his chair. When Hermione finally acknowledged his silent agitation, he had glared at her.  
"Tell them the rest Granger." he hissed at her.

"What are you talking about Malfoy?" queried Ron.

"He hit on her. Blatantly. And the things he said with his eyes were far worse than the words. He wants Granger, or Maya at least, and he's going to make sure he does everything he can to have her."

Ron spluttered and Harry said nothing. Hermione rolled her eyes and then spoke, "No need to get territorial. I flirted. It worked. And we don't need to relive anyone's memories," she glared at Draco with that last bit. "Not when you're going to see him tonight anyway."

Harry and Ron both perked up at that.

"If all you testosterone filled males can keep it in your pants for a few minutes, I can explain."

Taking a deep breath, she finally was able to begin the brief she had been trying to deliver from the time they had walked into the room.

"Orion Lestrange. Goes by the name Ryan Hess. He couldn't seem to help himself much with that. Poses as a rich muggle with too much time on his hands, and likes the adrenaline rush that comes with something like illegal street racing. The rich part is at least partly true. He is the sole heir of the Lestrange line and is therefore about as rich as Malfoy here. He doesn't have much of the clout that Malfoy does, but he's young. Give him time.

He looks every bit the Black and Lestrange descendant that he is, and Harry, you need to control your reaction the first time you see him.  
If you show shock, he will notice. And it would all be useless.  
The clubs he usually hangs around are all known hotspots for racing. These are the creme de la creme of this kind of world, and they don't race for fun.  
They race for cars. We pick up chatter, and we notice patterns. Tonight is Friday. The big races are always on Fridays because the policing is too tight around Saturdays.

He's... charming. Very charming. But there's something dark about him that just edges out anything else. But he constantly has the girls around him anyway, so watch what you say and do, because the girls are always Muggles. And always looking to please him, so if you slip up even a tiny bit and he doesn't notice, they will probably tell him, just to impress him. We're going to get into disguise and character right here at the Ministry and then head directly to the club."

As Hermione drew to a close, Draco looked at her questioningly. She shook her head, indicating that they would tell the others whatever it was later.

"Harry - your name is going to be Barry. Barry Mason. You've got a chip on your shoulder about being in juvenile detention, and a quick temper that goes with it. I'll leave the rest to you. You're one of our 'crew' so to speak." Hermione air-quoted around the word 'crew' and then carried on. "Your cars we'll pick out before we leave." Ron and Harry both looked curious at that, while Draco seemed to sulk.  
Suppressing a grin, Hermione carried on.

"Ron, you're going to be Don. Donald Mason. You and James are brothers, and my cousins. My name is Maya. Maya Foster. We're close, but we don't necessarily see eye to eye on everything. So if he's trying to split us up, go with your gut. Draco here is Derek Malloy. I call him Ray because we're dating. Not a word!" she tacked on immediately when it looked like they might protest.  
"It was the most effective way to get him to leave me alone while not pushing him away altogether." 

"We've got two others going with us tonight. One is an Unspeakable as well, but not an active agent. She requested to be in our research division and has proved absolutely phenomenal. No prejudices tonight ok? And the other, well, you both definitely know her. Ginny" Hermione spoke her piece and then sat back, waiting for the backlash that was sure to hit.

"No, absolutely not. You can't put her in danger, not after everything we've been through Hermione," Harry's protests chimed right in with Ron's bellowing, "She is just a child Mione. A professional quidditch player and you want to jeopardise her life?"

"You can't drag her into this."

"I won't allow it"

"Are you actually being serious?"

Hermione allowed them to carry on for a few minutes before she silenced them again. Ignoring their frustration, and Draco's accompanying snickering, she fixed them both with a glare and then said, "We need a secret keeper. Someone who will know our identities, and how we really look, because we're going to bind the enchantment with an outsider. We're modifying a spell we've designed and it needs someone other than us to make sure it fits. We won't revert to what we look like unless Ginny releases the enchantment. We need someone who is close to all of us, well most of us anyway," she interjected, glancing at her still-amused partner, "and someone who can keep their cool about it. Not to mention the secret. Besides Harry, do you really want to leave her out of this?"

Sulking still, Harry shook his head, as a knock sounded on the door.  
"Ginevra Weasley is here ma'am" squeaked one of their junior agents. "Show her in Crowley," Draco answered.

Hermione sighed and then cracked her neck, knowing that this was going to be a long explanation, missing Harry watching her speculatively as she did so. Ron, as usual, found himself asking another potentially explosive question. "Who's the other Unspeakable going with us tonight Mione?"

Hermione sighed, wishing Ron had waited just a little while longer to ask that question. Meanwhile, Crowley stuck his slightly frightened head around the doorway again, and saved her from answering. "Pansy Parkinson just arrived as well, should I show her in?"

Hermione resigned herself to the coming chaos by nodding.

This was going to be a really long night, and it was only 3 in the afternoon.

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	5. Chapter 5

**A/N -** I have no idea why this chapter hit me with such a bout of writer's block. I promise the next few chapters are already done and ready to go. I just had to get this bridge done.

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Ginny Weasley was a Chaser for the Holyhead Harpies now. She had come a long way from the shy schoolgirl she had been years ago. She had overcome being possessed by Lord Voldemort, joined Dumbledore's army, fought in the Battle of Hogwarts, and now lived in the cynosure of the public eye, as a member of one of Britain's most well known professional Quidditch teams.

So there wasn't much that could rattle her anymore. Except this conversation. A couple of hours ago, she had come to the Ministry in response to a cryptic owl from Hermione, asking her to come to the ministry and ask to be directed to the Unspeakable department. She had waited outside an unfamiliar room, and a very nervous trainee had bounced in his chair for a few minutes before daring to knock on the door of the same room, where they could hear some very heated yelling.

Walking in the door, she was a little taken aback to see Harry and Ron, both red-faced, standing facing Hermione. Well, that solved the mystery of who was doing all the yelling. Draco Malfoy, of all people, stood nearby, angled protectively towards Hermione. Interesting. Before she could start to attempt to figure this whole thing out, the same trainee had stuck his head around the door, and mumbled something. Hermione just looked resigned and then Pansy Parkinson walked in. Taking seats at the table, Ginny was convinced that Snape was going to stroll in any second, dressed in bright pink singing something from the Weird Sisters' latest album.

She followed Hermione's lead, and sat there quietly until the muttering from Harry and Ron wore off, and then Hermione spoke. "This is going to be a long, and quite complicated explanation. You should probably save any and all questions to the end, or we won't leave this room before tomorrow morning."

3 hours later, an exhausted Hermione sat slumped in her chair. They had gone over every inch of Orion Lestrange's life, or as much as they knew of it of course. Pansy had filled in as much as she could from her research speaking to other students at Durmstrang at the same time as him. The sheer number of individuals she had managed to interview, not always co-operative, and then obliviate seamlessly, leaving no trace of herself or the ministry, was mind-boggling.  
This had been what initially drew Hermione to let bygones be bygones. She knew from personal experience how much Memory charms could affect someone's psyche. The months it took to track down her parents and then restore their memories, had contributed to her unwillingness to let her family or friends know what she really did. A librarian was easy to explain to her mother. A librarian's job wouldn't keep her parents awake in worry for their only child's life. So for Pansy to willingly put herself through the emotional exhaustion brought on by wiping someone's memories; it was not something to be taken lightly.

From everything Hermione, and by extension, Pansy and Draco, had managed to gather, running into Orion Lestrange would not be hard. All they needed to do was show up in the vicinity of his usual parties, and they would be in his orbit. He had already evinced interest in Hermione, or Maya, and this was the focal point of their first step. To get to meet him, and hold his interest.

Ginny didn't think this would be tough going.

The next part would be slightly more so. Since they were modifying their appearances before they left on this mission, Ginny would be the only one who would be able to perform the counter spell. The charm they were using was a new one that Hermione and Draco had designed, and Hermione had very nonchalantly alluded to the fact that there was a risk, however slight that meant any one of them might be killed. Ginny hadn't missed her narrowed eyes, and Draco's grim tightness at the mouth.  
Which was why Ginny was involved. Instead of each one of them being able to undo their appearance charm, they would tie it to Ginny, who would be the only one able to undo the enchantment and restore their actual appearances. Draco had been about to protest, and then caught Hermione's eye. Ginny had watched, with amusement, a strange mental conversation between them that consisted of Hermione narrowing her yes into slits at him while he frowned, and scowled magnificently. When Hermione had finally just raised a single eyebrow, Draco had huffed irritably and then nodded at her as well.

Hermione had always been rather secretive when it came to her job. Ginny had just thought that it was due to the fact that she probably worked in the Restricted section. She always thought that Hermione was far too good to just be a run of the mill librarian. She had always had a sharper mind than practically anyone in her year at school, and far outstripped quite a few in the years above her as well.

Prodigiously talented and enormously curious about everything she found vaguely interesting, Hermione would have gone mad with boredom and reorganised the library alphabetically and then cross referenced every single tome with their counterparts by year and then just for kicks, sorted them into categories by colour. She had always had an intense need to have everything organised, that much Ginny could remember from school and her annoying, yet helpful, home-work planners.

So as surprising as it was to find out that her best female friend was actually an Unspeakable, Ginny found it strangely NOT surprising that Draco Malfoy was her partner. Harry and Ron might be flipping out about it, but she was never as involved with their little enemy camp feud as they had been. She was well aware that Malfoy had marks that were almost as high as Hermione's, although a subject he routinely beat her in, was Potions. Considering Severus Snape, arguably the best Potions Master of their time, was his Godfather, it stood to reason that the Godson learnt at the knee of the master.

Malfoy also had his own sense of honour, twisted as it might be. He was loyal, to a fault, even it meant facing death. His stupid sense of pride meant that he would face that kind of death with as much equanimity as someone sitting down to tea. And as with most of the pureblood aristocracy, his word was his bond. If Draco Malfoy gave you his word, you'd dare not ask for confirmation. And he'd go to his grave denying that he had once lost a duel to Ginny Weasley. It didn't matter to him that everyone present at that time had seen him attacked by giant flapping bogies, he'd never admit it aloud. But Ginny had seen the grudging respect in his eyes before she and the others had made their escape.

But she had not really run into Malfoy much since the war. She knew the basics. He had turned traitor to the dark and fed them enough information to keep them all alive. Enough for Harry, Hermione and Ron to have enough time to find the Horcruxes and destroy them before that final battle. She shook off her thoughts before her reminiscing could get more maudlin.

The others were standing.

Looks like it was time.

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**Please Review!**

A lack of reviews is what gave me writer's block last time :P


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: **I wanted to take some time and space to say thank you to some very special people :)

**angelica8051**- Thank you so much for your support

**Analena** - Lol I am truly sorry to disappoint, but I can promise lots of those explosions soon enough. For some reason they just strike me as perfect for arguments ;) Watch out for them and don't forget to let me know what you think ok

**Laratude** - I was sick sweetie, and then writer's block hit me. But I'm back and a 100% now

**SakuraStorm0808** - I promise I won't as long as you come back to keep reading :) Let me know what you think of how they progress

**Chatsi** - Thank you

**Malfoybride** - I know right?! Who would have guessed. Don't worry, I've shown timelines later in the story

**HallowRain8587** - I didn't think Hermione was the kind to just fall over and play love bug just because some boy spouted some pretty words. I think she's a hell of a woman, and it would take a lot to be able to get her to forgive the past hurt. She isn't unreasonable, but she isn't stupid enough to let her guard down right away.

And as for the cars, it was the exact same thought I had. I really appreciate how detailed your reviews are :)

**Milwigs** - Thank you, and I don't want to portray them in a bad light really, but they have never had the best history with Malfoy have they? He's always been a right smarmy wanker to them, and they were completely blind-sided by this

**Willow136** - Did I capture their reactions like you expected? Were they believable?

**PjoHoOFan** - Updating as fast as I can! :)

**Patronus12** - I will definitely try, so check out my other fics in the meantime

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A low bass thumped lazily through the club. Tendrils of music that seemed to seep into your bones as you got anywhere near the doors, trickling through the bodies huddled in line on the sidewalk, waiting to get in.

Heads turned as Hermione and her group stalked straight up to the bouncers at the door. Ginny couldn't blame them.

Once they had finished their little debrief session at the ministry, they had just enough time for Hermione's little team of 'Preppers' to get them ready. Because Orion and his posse usually hung out at Muggle clubs, Hermione had been giving the others tips on how to blend into the background if necessary.

It wasn't all that difficult considering the number of times they had all been to Muggle neighbourhoods and clubs in the recent past. For those of them that needed the anonymity, it was a breath of fresh air.

Dressed to fit in, Ron had fairly goggled at the sight of the girls in far more form fitting outfits than he had ever seen them in. Hermione was borderline conservative in denim shorts, a white men's shirt with a black halter neck vest over it. She had giggled before grabbing a pair of suspenders from the boy's array of accessories, and snapping them on. She had reached for her pair of high heeled boots before Draco had wrinkled his nose at her and raised his eyebrow in question. Surprisingly enough, Ron had caught on before the others and gave voice to the thought.

"Going to run very far in that, Muggle?" with an upward tilt to his mouth that robbed the barb of much of its sting.

Realising that even if Ginny or Pansy apparated out of there in case of emergency, she would have needed to maintain her cover, Hermione grinned sheepishly, and acquiesed. Picking flat soled knee high boots, Hermione sat down to lace them up. Pansy winked at Ginny surreptitiously before twirling, as if for her benefit, to show off her outfit. She wore regular dark blue jeans, but knowing Pansy and her refined taste, they were bound to be designer. And a bright red top that seemingly forgot to have any fabric in the back.

Ginny snickered as Ron and Harry seemed to stare at Pansy's completely non-slytherin behaviour.

"Tuck your tongues back in your head boys," the dark haired witch sang, "and stop glaring at me Draco darling, you know you don't own me."

"Bloody hell I don't," muttered the blond wizard. "Took a blood oath to get you and your damned brother out from under your father, and I'll be damned if you go traipsing around dressed like a damned trollop."

"It's Granger's top darling," Pansy returned joyfully.  
At which Draco immediately subsided before that worthy caught wind of this conversation. The witch in question was formidable enough on her own, but back her up with Ginny and Pansy, and he was going to feel some pain. Although he would rather have the pain than be subject to a lecture on how women should be able to dress any way she liked, and it was none of anyone's business etc etc etc.

Granger was known to go on ad nauseam when she thought an individual's rights were being affected.

Harry just seemed to narrow his eyes at Ginny's choice of a strapless blue tube dress. It was far too short and dipped too low for his liking, but he seemed to cheer up just a bit when he watched her shrug a metallic silver jacket on over it. That was until he saw the high heels that went with it. Sighing in resignation, he decided to do what men everywhere tried, and just go with it.

Ron didn't look happy at all at having to act the pair with Pansy for the evening, and it seemed the brunette witch wasn't too pleased either.

Having had enough of their bickering, Hermione snapped, "TRY and behave like the adults you're both supposed to be, please. Ron, Pansy is only coming out tonight to make sure that the people we are meeting with aren't under memory charms of some sort. She's just going to get a feel for them, so if she needs to modify memories, she'll have a base of them to go with. We need to keep this in house Ron, and if that means the two of you need to suck it up and act like lovebirds, then the two of you will just, suck. It. Up. Do you hear me?"

"People in York probably heard you" griped Harry from off to the side, before he quailed under the look Hermione shot at him. "Granger, you still haven't told me the big secret of how we're supposed to be getting there," drawled Malfoy, from his position sprawled across the couch.

While the girls had gone all out to make sure they were dressed in Muggle fashion's best, the boys had gone in the other direction, wearing casual jeans and dark shirts. Ron had hunted for, and managed to find, a pair of motorcycle boots that fit him. Draco and Harry had both stuck with pairs of Chucks. Hermione had been about to ask for their inspiration but managed to choke off her question. No need to ruin the tentative peace.

Rolling her eyes at the thought, Hermione sighed in resignation at having to cut off the argument that was starting behind her as Ron needled Pansy about something or the other, to which she responded, "I knew all your siblings couldn't be such unchivalrous asses Weasley, I mean, I HAVE met your brothers Charles, and William..."  
"Their names are Charlie and Bill," snapped a frustrated Ron.

Fuming at being cut off again, Pansy retorted, "You, Ronald Weasley, are an unmitigated wanker!"  
"Don't need to love, I can get some real action whenever I like"  
"Forgive me, I didn't realize they tailor made blow up dolls for ginger assholes!"

"Just shag and get it over with," muttered Hermione as she stalked to the door.

Ignoring the nauseated looks on the faces of Ginny and Draco, Harry smothered a laugh and followed Hermione.

"Granger, that's disgusting. No one wants to hear about their siblings doing... well... THAT," spluttered Draco, as he tried to extricate himself from the depths of the sofa he had conjured. Ginny, looking decidedly green around the gills, added, "Never thought I'd agree with Draco sodding Malfoy, but yes, don't ever say that again Hermione..." Ron looked mutinous but he didn't get a chance to get any blustering in before Pansy declared, "If he was the last man on earth, I'd make do on my own before I went anywhere near him."

And since that set off a whole new round on who was not good enough for whom, they headed straight to the club.

* * *

Once they were inside, it wasn't hard to spot Orion... No, **Ryan's** crew. Hermione had to train herself to use only his assumed name. Even though he went by the name Orion when he raced, she didn't want to slip up in any way. She sidled along the bar, and smirked up at the bar-tender while she ordered for all of them, A simple click of her charmed ring against the glass and her shot of whiskey turned into harmless cold tea. Nothing that could harm her ability to think on her feet, but cold tea was enough to make her screw her eyes up once she knocked it back.

She felt Draco at her side tense up, mere seconds before she heard his voice. Deep, sensual, carrying with it all the promise of the darkest pleasures she would ever know.

"Maya"  
He sounded pleased that she was back.

She turned with a half smile, to face his hooded eyes, wearing a smirk that she had seen many many times on Sirius. This would have been what Sirius could have been like, if Azkaban had never happened. This was what Sirius would have _definitely_ been like if the Potters had never happened.

Orion swept his long hair backwards as he took in the group with her. Ron nonchalantly hooked his arms around Pansy's waist, while she leaned into the bar. Harry hissed in shock when he caught sight of Orion's face, but Ginny covered it up by grinning up at him and then leaning up as if she had been whispering naughty things in his ear, and he had reacted to that.

Seemingly satisfied that they bore him no threat, he gestured to his VIP area, and Hermione turned to face Draco's stony expression.

Draco could feel the rage building at the man smiling so guilelessly at Grang… Maya. He had to remember to keep her name straight. But the feelings he had for his cousin bubbled constantly to the surface every time he looked at him.

* * *

Orion had tried to make contact with the Malfoys when he had first come to England. But he had hidden his own ulterior motives. As careful a planner as he had been, he had jumped the gun just a little bit. Lucius had been suspicious, but Narcissa had insisted that they at least meet him. She had harboured some desperate hope that they could at least save Bella's son, if her sister had been beyond all redemption. Draco had refused outright to have anything to do with the whole thing.

And he had been more than justified.

The one thing that had saved Narcissa Malfoy's life had been her latent sentimentality. She had chosen to meet at a neutral location. A restaurant their family had been going to for years. Draco knew it was the same one that Bella had taken Narcissa to, before she had left to take the Dark Mark. It was a coming home of sorts. Or at least that was what Narcissa had hoped for.

The entry way had faced a large ornate gilt mirror along the entire lobby before leading into the secluded set of dining rooms. Orion had been waiting in the most forward section. Lucius and Narcissa had entered, and as the attendant took Narcissa's cloak, Lucius had barely caught the sight of Orion raising his wand to aim at her exposed back. But using the mirror to aim had thrown off his calculations just a little bit. He had hit Narcissa in the arm instead of the back as Lucius pushed her out of the way. He had then disapparated after leaping directly out of the window.

It had been a few hours later, at private rooms in St. Mungo's, that Draco and Lucius had received the news that Narcissa had survived, but barely. She would always be slightly more frail than she had been, and needed to make sure not to exert herself too much on days she felt worse. Draco had been nearly simmering with anger, but his father had seemed ice cold.  
Until the doctor had left the room, and for the first time in his entire life, Draco watched his father's iron control crumble. The man's mask slipped and the anguish and pain he felt at almost losing the one person he loved more than his own life, rushed to the surface.

And like all Malfoy men before him, and definitely the ones who would follow, he intensely cherished what he felt was his. Orion Lestrange had attempted to kill his wife. This fact leeched at the anguish and pain until all that was left was rage. Undiluted, potent, and like the anger of any entrenched in the dark arts, potentially deadly.  
His visage turned poisonous, and Draco got a glimpse of the terror his father's past victims must have felt. This was a man wronged, who would stop at nothing to get his revenge.

Rising to his feet, Draco put his hand on his father's shoulder, and spoke, for the first time since they had entered the room. "He will pay Father, on my magic I swear to you. Upon my honour as a Malfoy, he will receive his due."

The next morning, a very unamused Unspeakable Medier, had granted the younger Malfoy an audience. An hour later, Draco had left the Ministry, their last recruit in the newest batch of Unspeakables that were being trained. This was going to be interesting.

* * *

Ginny had heard Pansy's briefing before they left the Ministry. She had described Orion as an attractive man, charming and able to talk his way into, or out of, practically anything. She had left out the part about his brooding good looks, and his hypnotic voice. She heard Harry's gasp of air when he got a good look at him, and she immediately covered it by acting the naughty coquette she was supposed to be playing. Harry had recovered instantaneously and given her a heated look in exchange. Orion had barely done more than glance at them.

Pansy had described his voice as warm chocolate for the ears, and she had been right. Listening to his voice could charm bowtruckles from their tree and convince many an unsuspecting witch to dally with the devil himself. Because that was what he was.  
The devil incarnate.

And their job was to send him back to hell.

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**A/N:**

Well? What did you guys think?

Review people, and I promise the next chapter is all Orion, maybe even some of it in his POV if I get more than 10 reviews on this chapter!


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